US2006005424A1PendingUtilityA1

Bonding of an upper and a shell in a shoe

45
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Jul 12, 2004Filed: Jul 12, 2004Published: Jan 12, 2006
Est. expiryJul 12, 2024(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Daniel S. LaskaDaniel Bennette
B29D 35/062
45
PatentIndex Score
0
Cited by
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References
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Claims

Abstract

A shoe upper and a shoe shell are attached to one another by molding. The upper is placed on a mold core, which includes a portion resembling a foot and a portion on which the upper fits. A flap provided on the upper extends along at least a portion of a bottom rim of the upper and has opposing interior and exterior sides. A mold is provided around the mold core and the flap so as to define a cavity between the mold and the mold core. The flap extends into the cavity so that both the interior and exterior sides of the flap are exposed within the cavity. A shell material is introduced into the cavity so as to mold the shell material directly around the mold core portion resembling a foot and to cohere the shell material to both the interior and exterior sides of the flap.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A method for attaching a shoe upper to a shoe shell material by molding, the method comprising: 
 placing the upper on a mold core, which includes a portion resembling a foot and a portion on which the upper fits;    providing a flap on the upper, the flap extending along at least a portion of a bottom rim of the upper, the flap having opposing interior and exterior sides;    providing a mold around the mold core and the flap so as to define a cavity between the mold and the mold core, the flap extending into the cavity so that both the interior and exterior sides of the flap are exposed within the cavity; and    introducing the shell material into the cavity so as to mold the shell material directly around the mold core portion resembling a foot and to cohere the shell material to both the interior and exterior sides of the flap.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of introducing the shell material into the cavity attaches the shell material to the upper in the absence of stitching between the shell material and the upper.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of introducing the shell material into the cavity effectuates a substantially waterproof seal between the upper and the shell material.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 folding a portion of the flap upon itself to create a bulge on a side of the flap, thereby resulting in a bulged side of the upper.    
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the step of introducing the shell material into the cavity comprises: 
 cohering the shell material to the bulged side of the upper at a portion of the upper above the bulge.    
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of introducing the shell material into the cavity comprises: 
 injecting the shell material into the cavity.    
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the shell material is a thermoplastic material.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of introducing the shell material into the cavity is performed after the step of providing a mold around the mold core and the flap.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 pressing the mold and the mold core together so as to pinch the upper between the mold and the mold core above the flap.    
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 attaching an outsole to the shell material.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the flap is an integral part of the upper.  
   
   
       12 . A shoe made in accordance with the method of  claim 1 .  
   
   
       13 . A method for attaching a shoe shell to a shoe upper without stitching the shell to the upper, the upper having opposing interior and exterior sides and a bottom periphery rim for attachment to the shell, the shell having a top periphery rim, the method comprising: 
 cohering the top periphery rim of the shell to portions of both the interior and exterior sides of the upper in proximity to the bottom periphery rim of the upper.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising: 
 providing a bulge on one or more sides of the upper along the bottom periphery rim, thereby resulting in one or more bulged sides of the upper, wherein the cohering step comprises cohering the upper rim of the shell to at least one of the bulged sides of the upper at a portion of the upper above the bulge.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the providing step comprises: 
 folding a portion of the upper upon itself along at least a portion of the bottom periphery rim, whereby the folded portion creates the bulge.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the cohering step comprises: 
 welding the shell to the upper.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the welding step comprises: 
 melting the upper;    partially mixing the melted upper and the shell together; and    solidifying the mixed melted upper and the shell.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising: 
 molding the shell.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the molding step comprises: 
 providing a mold core including a portion resembling an ankle and a portion resembling a foot;    placing the upper on the mold core;    providing a mold that defines an interior chamber sized to fit at least a bottom portion of the mold core;    placing the mold generally around at least a bottom portion of the mold core, thereby defining a space between the mold core and the mold, such that a portion of the upper proximate to the bottom periphery rim of the upper extends into the space; and    introducing into the space a deformable material, whereby the deformable material solidifies, coheres to the portion of the upper extending into the space, and thereby forms the shell.    
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the deformable material is a flowable material.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the deformable material comprises a liquid, and the step of providing the deformable material comprises: 
 injecting the liquid into the space.    
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the liquid is a thermoplastic material.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the step of introducing the deformable material is performed after the step of placing the mold generally around the mold core.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the shell has an interior side facing the mold core and an opposing exterior side, the method further comprising: 
 attaching an outsole to the exterior side of the shell.    
   
   
       25 . A shoe made in accordance with the method of  claim 13 .  
   
   
       26 . A shoe comprising: 
 an upper having opposing interior and exterior sides and a bottom rim;    a shell having an upper rim, the upper rim being cohered to at least portions of both the interior and exterior sides of the upper in proximity to the bottom rim of the upper without stitching of the upper to the shell.    
   
   
       27 . The shoe of  claim 26 , wherein the upper comprises leather.  
   
   
       28 . The shoe of  claim 26 , wherein the upper comprises a waterproof layer on the interior side and a textile disposed on the exterior side.  
   
   
       29 . The shoe of  claim 26 , wherein the waterproof layer is a waterproof coating.  
   
   
       30 . The shoe of  claim 26 , wherein the waterproof layer is a waterproof membrane.  
   
   
       31 . The shoe of  claim 30 , wherein the waterproof membrane includes a polytetraflouroethylene layer.  
   
   
       32 . The shoe of  claim 26 , wherein the upper rim of the shell comprises a channel along the length of the upper rim, and the portions of the upper are disposed at least partially within the channel.  
   
   
       33 . The shoe of  claim 26 , wherein the shell is formed of a substance, the upper is a fibrous material having fibers, and the substance extends at least partially about at least some of the fibers.  
   
   
       34 . The shoe of  claim 26 , wherein the shell is formed of a substance, the upper is a woven material having woven strands, and the substance extends at least partially about at least some of the strands.  
   
   
       35 . The shoe of  claim 26 , wherein the shell is formed of a substance, the upper is a porous material having pores, and the substance extends at least partially into at least some of the pores.  
   
   
       36 . The shoe of  claim 26 , wherein the shell is formed of a substance, the upper comprises one or more perforations between the exterior and interior sides of the upper in proximity to the bottom rim of the upper, and the substance extends through at least some of the perforations.  
   
   
       37 . The shoe of  claim 26 , wherein the shell is made of a thermoplastic material.  
   
   
       38 . The shoe of  claim 26 , wherein the upper comprises: 
 a bulge on one or more sides of the upper along at least a portion of the bottom rim, thereby resulting in at least one bulged side of the upper, wherein the shell extends around the bulge and coheres to a bulged side of the upper on a portion of the upper above the bulge.    
   
   
       39 . The shoe of  claim 36 , wherein the bulge is formed by a fold of a portion of the upper onto itself along at least a portion of the bottom rim of the upper.  
   
   
       40 . The shoe of  claim 26 , wherein the shoe is substantially waterproof along the interface of the upper and the shell.

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